Meter box



July 4, 1961 c w, STRONG 2,991,398

METER BOX Original Filed May 5, 1952 /3 /6 El /2 [:1 W8 1 23 W W3 BYATTORNEY INVENTOR United States Patent Ofiice Claims. 01. 317 109 Thisinvention relates to a meter box, and more particularly to a box forhousing a type S, socket type, electric meter. This application is acontinuation of my copending application, now abandoned, Serial No.286,118, filed May 5, 1952, for Meter Box.

It is desirable to have the glass cover of the meter, which is usuallycylindrical, project beyond the face of the box; and it is alsodesirable to have the front cover for the box form a tight seal when inclosed position, but to be readily removable for meter testing, removalof the meter and other purposes.

Previously, for this type of meter, the box was provided with anupstanding rolled or formed flange upon which the extended flange at thebase of the meter rested, and a separate sealing ring was needed toclamp around the upstanding flange of the meter box and at the same timearound the meter base flange, to provide for a seal to fasten the meterin place in the box.

An object of my invention is to provide a meter box in which a sockettype meter is fastened in place in the box by means of a friction flangeand the front of the meter box, and no separate sealing ring is needed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a meter box in which thedanger of meter glass breakage by tightening a sealing ring too tightlyis obviated.

Another object of my invention is to provide a meter box which willpermit the use of any type of socket meter, will make installationeasier, render the meter box more accessible for inspection, providemore wiring space and permit the installation of larger conduit than ispossible with the meter boxes in use today.

Another object of my invention is to provide a meter box for socket typeelectric meters which is provided with a swing lug sealing arrangement,to increase the speed of inserting the sealing lock, or seal, and topermit the removal of the cover after the seal is applied.

Another object of my invention is to provide a meter box for socket typeelectric meters which is simple in construction, economical tomanufacture, durable in quality, eflicient in operation, reliable inuse, and has a cover which can be removed quickly and easily and whichprovides a tight seal when in closed position.

Other and further objects and advantages of my invention will beapparent from the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing in which like characters of reference designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating my invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail view.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is the rear view of the front cover of the device shown in FIG. 1which cover is retaining a replacement glass in place of the meter.

In the embodiment of my invention chosen for purpose of illustration,the meter box has a back wall to the inside of which is secured asupport 11, of standard design, which carries a pair of connector blocks12 on which are mounted the jaws 13 forming sockets which receive andhold the contact blades 14 of the standard type S,

Patented July 4, 1961 socket type electric meter. This type of meter iscustomarily provided with an extended flange 15 at the base thereof forsealing the projecting meter enclosure 16 in place over the interiorworking parts (not shown) of the meter.

The side walls 17, 17 and the bottom end wall 18 of the meter box areconstructed to be of such a depth that when the meter is in place in thebox, with the contact blades 14 held snugly in the jaws 13, the outer orfront surface of the extended flange 15 will extend slightly past theplane of the outer edges of the side walls 17, 17' and the end wall 18and the rear surface of extended flange 15 will abut grounding fingers19, 19' which extend respectively from the inside of walls 17 17 Theouter edge of walls 17, 17 and the outer edge of end wall 18 are flaredtoward extended flange 15 to form flanges 20, 20' and 21 respectively.Arcuate portions centrally on the free edge of these flanges are removedto form recesses conforming to adjacent section of the periphery ofextended flange 15. Flange 22 depends from the inside top 23 of themeter box, extending downwardly and inwardly to bear on the adjacentperiphery of extended flange 15 to form a friction fit, urging extendedflange 15 against flange 21.

The top 23 of the meter box has a lip 24 depending therefrom, and underwhich the removable front cover 25 is constructed to fit. The cover 25has side flanges 26, 26 which overlap the sides of the box, and a lowerend flange 27 which overlaps the end of the box. Also, the cover isprovided with an opening to receive the projecting enclosure of themeter. This opening is of a diameter greater than the diameter of theprojecting meter enclosure, but less than the outside diameter of themeter sealing ring; and the opening is spaced from the upper edge of thecover the exact distance so that when the cover is placed over theprojecting meter closure, and the cover is lowered until the upper edgeof the opening in the cover contacts the projecting meter closure, theupper edge of the cover substantially contacts but still clears thebottom edge of the lip 24, so that the upper edge of the cover may beslipped beneath the lip 24 as the cover is lowered into place and theopening therein centered about the projecting meter closure.

The opening in the cover 25 may be provided with an outwardly flaringflange 28 extending entirely around the opening. A swing fastening andsealing device of known construction, comprising the cooperatingprojections 29, 29' on the bottom of the cover 25 and the end wall 18,respectively, is provided for sealing the cover in place on the box, andthe construction is such that the cover provides a substantiallywater-tight closure for the meter box in which a socket type electricmeter of ordinary construction is fully protected, is held snugly inplace, and yet is readily accessible by the simple removal of a singleseal from the swing fastening and sealing device 29, 29, whereupon thecover can be lifted from the box and the meter removed by a simplewithdrawing action by hand.

FIG. 5 illustrates an arrangement where, when meter 16 is removed forrepairs or for any other reason, a replacement glass 30 of substantiallythe same diameter as extended flange 15 may be substituted therefore,being re tained in place by rotatably mounted tabs 31 pivotally mountedon the inside surface of cover 25. This glass insert protects the boxagainst the entrance of foreign matter while the meter is not in thebox.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modificationsand changes can be made without departing from the scope of my inventionas defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A meter box comprising in combination, a back wall, side walls, anend wall and a top forming a casing open at its front; sockets supportedon said back wall; a socket type electric meter having contact bladesremovably received in said sockets and a projecting enclosure sealed inplace on said meter by an extended flange at the base of said enclosure;said side walls and said end wall being constructed of such a depth thatthe front surface of said extended flange lies in substantially the sameplane as the outer edges of said Walls; a lip depending from said top;and a removable cover constructed to fit under said lip, and beingprovided With an opening through which the meter enclosure projects forsealing engagement therewith, said opening being of a uniform diametersubstantially larger than the diameter of said meter enclosure butsmaller than the outside diameter of said extended flange and beingspaced from the upper edge of said cover so that when the upper edge ofthe opening contacts the projecting meter enclosure the upper edge ofthe cover substantially contacts but still clears the bottom edge ofsaid lip.

2. A meter box comprising in combination, a back wall, side walls, anend wall and a top forming a casing open at its front; a support mountedon said back wall; a pair of connector blocks carried by said support;sockets mounted on said blocks; a socket type electric meter havingcontact blades removably received in said sockets and a projectingenclosure sealed in place on said meter by an extended flange at thebase of said enclosure; said side walls and said end wall beingconstructed of such a depth that the front surface of said extendedflange lies in substantially the same plane as the outer edges of saidwalls; a lip depending from said top; a removable cover constructed tofit under said lip, and being provided with an opening through which themeter enclosure projects for sealing engagement therewith, said openingbeing of a uniform diameter substantially larger than the diameter ofsaid meter enclosure but smaller than the outside diam eter of saidextended flange and being spaced from the upper edge of said cover sothat when the upper edge of the opening contacts the projecting meterclosure the upper edge of the cover substantially contacts but stillclears the bottom edge of said lip; said cover having an outwardlyflaring flange entirely surrounding the opening therein; and means forfastening said cover in place on said box.

3. A meter box comprising in combination, a back wall, side Walls, anend wall and a top forming a casing open at its front; a support mountedon said back wall; a pair of connector blocks carried by said support;jaws mounted on said blocks; a socket type electric meter having contactblades removably received in said jaws and a projecting enclosure sealedin place on said meter by an extended flange at the base of saidenclosure; said side Walls and said end wall being constructed of such adepth that the front surface of said extended flange lies insubstantially the same plane as the outer edges of said walls; a lipdepending from said top; a removable cover constructed to fit under saidlip, and having side flanges which overlap said side Walls and a lowerend flange which overlaps said end wall, and being provided with anopening through which the meter enclosure projects for sealingengagement therewith, said opening being of a uniform diametersubstantially larger than the diameter of said meter enclosure butsmaller than the outside diameter of said extended flange and beingspaced from the upper edge of said cover so that when the upper edge ofthe opening contacts the projecting meter closure the upper edge of thecover substantially contacts but still clears the bottom edge of saidlip; saidcover having an outwardly flaring flange entirely surroundingthe opening in said cover; and means for fastening said cover in placeon said box.

4. A meter box comprising in combination, a back wall, side walls, anend wall and a top forming a casing open at its front; a support mountedon said back wall; a pair of connector blocks carried by said support;jaws mounted on said blocks; a socket type electric meter having contactblades removably received in said jaws and a projecting enclosure sealedin place on said meter by an extended flange at the base of saidenclosure; said side Walls and said end wall being constructed of such adepth that the front surface of said extended flange lies insubstantially the same plane as the outer edge of said walls; conductingfingers grounded to said side walls and abutting said extended flange; alip depending from said top; a removable cover constructed to fit undersaid lip, and having side flanges which overlap said side walls and alower end flange which overlaps said end wall, and being provided withan opening through which the meter enclosure projects, said openingbeing of a diameter larger than the outside diameter of said extendedflange and being spaced from the upper edge of said cover so that whenthe upper edge of the opening contacts the projecting meter enclosure,the upper edge of the cover almost contacts but still clears the bottomedge of said lip; said cover having an outwardly flaring flange entirelysurrounding the opening in said cover; and means for fastening saidcover in place on said box.

5. A meter box comprising in combination, a back wall, side walls, anend wall and a top forming a casing open at its front; a support mountedon said back wall; a pair of connector blocks carried by said support;jaws mounted on said blocks; a socket type electric meter having contactblades removably received in said jaws and a projecting enclosure sealedin place on said meter by an extended flange at the base of saidenclosure; said side walls and said end wall being constructed of such adepth that the front surface of said extended flange lies insubstantially the same plane as the outer edge of said walls; flangesextending inwardly from said side walls and said end wall and abuttingsaid extended flange; a compression member extending from said top andurging said extended flange against said flange on said end wall;conducting fingers grounded to said side walls and abutting saidextended flange; a lip depending from said top; a removable coverconstructed to fit under said lip, and having side flanges which overlapsaid side walls and a lower end flange which overlaps said end wall, andbeing provided with an opening through which the meter enclosureprojects, said opening being of a diameter larger than the outsidediameter of said extended flange and being spaced from the upper edge ofsaid cover so that when the upper edges of the opening contacts theprojecting meter enclosure, the upper edge of the cover almost contactsbut still clears the bottom edge of said lip; said cover having anoutwardly flaring flange entirely surrounding the opening in said cover;and means for fastening said cover in place on said box.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,965,329 Abbott July 3, 1934 2,297,833 Johansson Oct. 6, 1942 2,329,349Johansson Sept. 14, 1943 2,345,269 Lackey Mar. 28, 1944 2,412,558 BlankDec. 17, 1946 2,429,093 Johansson Oct. 14, 1947 2,626,309 Road Jan. 20,1953 2,822,417 Mathison Feb. 4, 1958

